Why China?

This article is available to subscribers only, in our archive viewer. Get immediate access to this article for just $1 a week by subscribing now.

ABSTRACT: On the streets of Kunming, Sam spotted the man who had conned him out of $25,000 back home in San Francisco. He approached him and began a conversation, amazed that the man did not recognize him. Sam was a stockbroker who was currently being investigated by his own company. He had decided to get away to China for a few weeks and brought his family, which included a wife, who was a sculptor, and two daughters, along with him. The con artist introduced himself as Stuart Peale, but Sam had known him as Cameron Pierce in America. Sam explained that he and his family were looking for train tickets to Chengdu, and Stuart offered to help. Sam wasn't sure why he was going along with the man who had cheated him out of all that money, but he seemed to get a perverse pleasure out of knowing that Stuart didn't recognize him. Stuart got him the tickets and gave Sam his card and they parted. Sam went back to the hotel where his family was staying and presented them with the tickets. They went to Chengdu and from there, they decided to visit Xi'an. Sam returned his family to their hotel and went in search of Stuart at his work address in old Xi'an. They arranged to meet the next morning to go to some Buddhist caves outside town. When Sam told his family, they insisted on going with him and “the total stranger.” The eight-hour train ride took them to a town where the hotels were like prisons. That evening, after the girls had gone to sleep, Caroline, Sam's wife, confronted him about the investigation, and he admitted that he was guilty. He said that he thought he took the money because he was cheated by Stuart. When they arrived at the Buddhist caves the next morning, Sam confronted Stuart and discovered that he had known all along who Sam was. They parted amicably and Sam's family took off in a bus back to Kunming thinking how nice Stuart was.